What did Jesus say about divorce?

Matthew 19:3-9

³ Some Pharisees came to him to test him. They asked, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for any and every reason?”

⁴ “Haven’t you read,” he replied, “that at the beginning the Creator ‘made them male and female,’

⁵ and said, ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh’?

⁶ So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate.”

⁷ “Why then,” they asked, “did Moses command that a man give his wife a certificate of divorce and send her away?”

⁸ Jesus replied, “Moses permitted you to divorce your wives because your hearts were hard. But it was not this way from the beginning.

⁹ I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another woman commits adultery.”

New International Version (NIV)

The answer

Jesus taught that marriage is a God-created, one-flesh union, and that divorce followed by remarriage is adultery—except, as Matthew records, where sexual immorality is the ground of the divorce (Matthew 19:9). He rejected divorce for “any reason” and explained that Moses’ permission was a concession to hard hearts, not God’s original design.

God’s design for marriage

Jesus went back to creation: God made humanity male and female, and a man leaves his parents and is joined to his wife, the two becoming one flesh (Matthew 19:4-5). His conclusion was, “What therefore God has joined together, don’t let man tear apart” (Matthew 19:6). Marriage is therefore not merely a human contract that people may dissolve at will.

Why Moses permitted divorce

When the Pharisees appealed to Moses’ certificate of divorce, Jesus answered: “Moses, because of the hardness of your hearts, allowed you to divorce your wives, but from the beginning it has not been so” (Matthew 19:8). Moses’ allowance did not mean that divorce fulfilled God’s creation purpose.

Divorce, remarriage, and sexual immorality

Jesus said, “Whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another, commits adultery; and he who marries her when she is divorced commits adultery” (Matthew 19:9). He gave the same exception in Matthew 5:32. The exception is sexual immorality, not simply incompatibility, unhappiness, or wanting another spouse.

Mark 10:11-12 records Jesus applying the warning to both husbands and wives: a husband who divorces and remarries commits adultery against his wife, and a wife who does likewise commits adultery. Luke 16:18 gives the same general warning without recording Matthew’s exception. Together, these passages show that a legal divorce certificate does not by itself make remarriage righteous before God.

Answered from Scripture · reviewed November 11, 2026

When asked about divorce, Jesus directed His hearers back past the Law of Moses to God's original design in creation, declaring marriage to be an indissoluble union forged by God Himself. He revealed that Moses' permission of divorce was a temporary concession to human hardness of heart rather than God's divine ideal, warning that unbiblical divorce and subsequent remarriage constitute adultery. Across the Gospels, Christ re-establishes the sacred permanence of marriage while granting a sole exception in the case of sexual immorality.

The Creation Design

God joins husband and wife as one flesh

So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate.”

Matthew 19:6 (NIV)

Jesus defines marriage not as a civil contract between humans, but as an unbreakable union forged directly by God.

In Matthew 19:6, Jesus establishes the foundational truth governing all marital ethics: "What therefore God has joined together, let not man put asunder." When the Pharisees sought to entrap Him by asking whether divorce was lawful "for any cause" (Matthew 19:3), Christ refused to debate rabbinic technicalities. Instead, He directed their eyes beyond legal casuistry to the primeval dawn of human history. God did not institute marriage as an arbitrary civil contract; He created humanity distinctly male and female (Genesis 1:27; Matthew 19:4) and ordained that a man should leave father and mother to cleave indivisibly to his wife, so that the two "shall be one flesh" (Genesis 2:24; Matthew 19:5). In Mark's parallel testimony (Mark 10:2-9), Jesus underscores that this union is not merely a social convenience negotiated by men, but an objective spiritual reality bound by the Almighty. Because it is God who welds husband and wife into a single organic entity, no human court, decree, or impulse possesses the legitimate moral authority to tear that union apart.

The passages

Passage	What it says
Matthew 19:3	Pharisees test Jesus by asking whether a man may divorce his wife for any cause whatsoever.
Matthew 19:4	Jesus points back to the beginning of creation, citing God making humanity male and female.
Matthew 19:5	Jesus quotes Genesis, stating a man leaves father and mother to become one flesh with his wife.
Matthew 19:6	Jesus concludes that what God has joined together, no man must separate.
Mark 10:2-9	Mark's parallel account records Jesus establishing that marriage's one-flesh bond stems from God's original creation order.
Genesis 1:27	God created humanity male and female, establishing the foundational duality Jesus explicitly cites regarding marriage.
Genesis 2:24	A man leaves father and mother to hold fast to his wife, forming one flesh, the ground of Jesus' prohibition.

The Mosaic Concession

Divorce was permitted only for hard hearts

Jesus replied, “Moses permitted you to divorce your wives because your hearts were hard. But it was not this way from the beginning.

Matthew 19:8 (NIV)

Jesus clarifies that Moses tolerated divorce solely due to stubborn human sin, not because God ever intended it.

When the Pharisees pressed Him regarding Moses' civil allowance for a certificate of dismissal (Matthew 19:7), Jesus replied with searching clarity in Matthew 19:8: "Moses because of the hardness of your hearts suffered you to put away your wives: but from the beginning it was not so." The ancient decree in Deuteronomy 24:1-4 was never a divine endorsement or mandate for the dissolution of covenants; it was a civil regulation introduced to mitigate cruelty and protect vulnerable women amidst rampant human rebellion. In Mark 10:3-5, Christ reaffirms that Moses wrote this precept strictly as a concession to obstinate, unregenerate hearts, not as an expression of the Father's perfect will. This sharp distinction between temporary statutory tolerance and God's timeless moral law echoes the prophetic witness of Malachi 2:14-16, where God explicitly denounces covenant treachery and warns men not to deal faithlessly with the wives of their youth. By exposing the true source of divorce in human obstinacy, Jesus strips away every legalistic justification, demanding that His followers return to God's spotless Edenic standard.

The passages

Passage	What it says
Matthew 19:7	The Pharisees ask why Moses commanded giving a certificate of divorce if God joined them.
Matthew 19:8	Jesus explains Moses permitted divorce due to hardness of heart, but from the beginning it was not so.
Mark 10:3-5	Jesus tells the Pharisees that Moses wrote the divorce commandment specifically because of their hard hearts.
Deuteronomy 24:1-4	The original Mosaic regulation permitted a certificate of divorce when a husband found uncleanness in his wife.
Malachi 2:14-16	The Lord witnesses the marriage covenant and rebukes treacherous divorce, aligning with Jesus' exposure of hardened hearts.

The Exception Clause

Divorce and remarriage equated with adultery

I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another woman commits adultery.”

Matthew 19:9 (NIV)

Jesus lays down the strict boundary that divorcing and remarrying is adultery, naming sexual immorality as the sole exception.

The Lord leaves no room for ambiguity regarding the gravity of breaking this bond, declaring in Matthew 19:9: "Whosoever shall put away his wife, except it be for fornication, and shall marry another, committeth adultery." In His Sermon on the Mount, Jesus had already struck at the casual divorce culture of His day, warning that anyone putting away his wife except on the ground of sexual immorality makes her an adulteress, and marrying a divorced woman constitutes adultery (Matthew 5:31-32). Mark and Luke record this standard in universal terms, demonstrating that a subsequent marriage following an unlawful separation is not merely a legal misstep, but ongoing marital treason against the prior covenant (Mark 10:11-12; Luke 16:18). By inserting the sole exception clause (porneia), Christ recognizes that gross sexual betrayal fundamentally defiles and fractures the one-flesh bond. So radical was this absolute standard that His own disciples protested, murmuring that if the bond was so unyielding, it were better never to marry (Matthew 19:10-12), prompting Christ's call to supernatural grace and self-control.

The passages

Passage	What it says
Matthew 5:31-32	In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus teaches that divorcing a wife except for sexual immorality causes her to commit adultery.
Matthew 19:9	Jesus declares that whoever divorces except for sexual immorality and marries another commits adultery.
Mark 10:11-12	Jesus states that anyone who divorces their spouse and marries another commits adultery against them.
Luke 16:18	Jesus delivers the absolute principle that whoever divorces and marries another, or marries a divorced person, commits adultery.
Matthew 19:10-12	The disciples react to the strictness of Jesus' teaching on divorce, prompting His instruction on celibacy and eunuchs.

Apostolic Application

Paul applies Christ's command to the church

To the married I give this command (not I, but the Lord): A wife must not separate from her husband. But if she does, she must remain unmarried or else be reconciled to her husband. And a husband must not divorce his wife.

1 Corinthians 7:10-11 (NIV)

Paul explicitly grounds his marriage instructions in a direct commandment from the Lord Jesus Himself.

Writing under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, the Apostle Paul directly applies the Master's teaching to the early church in 1 Corinthians 7:10-11: "Unto the married I command, yet not I, but the Lord, Let not the wife depart from her husband: but and if she depart, let her remain unmarried, or be reconciled to her husband: and let not the husband put away his wife." Paul distinguishes between matters where he possesses an explicit, historical word spoken by the incarnate Christ and pastoral decisions guided by apostolic wisdom (1 Corinthians 7:12-16). In Romans 7:2-3 and 1 Corinthians 7:39, the apostle restates the unbroken rule that a married woman is bound by law to her husband as long as he lives, only becoming free to remarry in the Lord upon his death. The theological weight of this lifelong permanence reaches its zenith in Ephesians 5:31-32, where Paul cites Genesis 2:24 to unveil that marriage is ultimately a sacred earthly tapestry mirroring the unbreakable, eternal covenant between Christ and His redeemed bride, the church.

The passages

Passage	What it says
1 Corinthians 7:10-11	Paul delivers the Lord's charge that a wife must not separate from her husband and a husband must not divorce his wife.
1 Corinthians 7:12-16	Paul addresses mixed marriages, counseling peace if an unbelieving spouse departs.
Romans 7:2-3	Paul notes that a married woman is bound by law to her husband as long as he lives.
1 Corinthians 7:39	Paul reiterates that a wife is bound to her husband as long as he lives, mirroring Christ's lifelong standard.
Ephesians 5:31-32	Paul quotes Genesis 2:24 to reveal marriage as a sacred mystery displaying Christ and the church.

Jesus' teaching on marriage and divorce summons believers to honor marriage as a sacred covenant established by God that no human authority should sever. While recognizing the devastating reality of sin and hardness of heart, Christ calls His followers to reflect God's enduring faithfulness within their unions. Where brokenness has occurred, believers are called to walk in repentance, grace, and obedience to the Lord's clear standards.

22 passages, each cited once.

How the major Christian traditions read this

All major Christian traditions confess that Jesus affirmed marriage as a lifelong, sacred union between one man and one woman established by God from creation, and that divorce departs from God's holy design (Matthew 19:4-6).

Catholic

The Church teaches that a valid, consummated sacramental marriage between baptized persons cannot be dissolved by any human power or cause other than death (Mark 10:9). Christ's words in Matthew 19:6 establish that what God has joined, man cannot divide. When Jesus mentions an exception in Matthew 19:9, the Church understands this not as a permission to dissolve a valid marriage, but as referring to unlawful, invalid unions (porneia). Physical separation is permitted in severe cases, but the bond remains, meaning remarriage during the lifetime of a spouse is adultery (Mark 10:11-12; Luke 16:18). A declaration of nullity determines whether a true marriage ever existed.

Scripture: Matthew 19:6, Matthew 19:9, Mark 10:9, Mark 10:11-12, Luke 16:18

Orthodox

The Orthodox Church holds marriage to be a holy mystery that reflects the eternal union of Christ and His Church (Ephesians 5:31-32). Christ condemned casual divorce, returning us to God's original creation (Matthew 19:4-6). Yet the Church recognizes that marital infidelity and sin can spiritually kill the one-flesh bond, as Jesus acknowledged with the exception for sexual immorality in Matthew 19:9. While an ideal marriage is eternal, through pastoral economy (oikonomia) and mercy toward human frailty, the Church acknowledges that some marriages are dead. Under strict pastoral oversight, a second or third marriage is permitted with penitential prayers, balancing God's high standard with Christ's mercy for broken sinners.

Scripture: Matthew 19:4-6, Matthew 19:9, Ephesians 5:31-32

Lutheran

We confess that marriage is an honorable estate established by God in creation, intended to be a lifelong union (Matthew 19:4-6). Because of human sin and hardness of heart, Jesus identified marital unfaithfulness (porneia) as a ground where the bond has been shattered (Matthew 19:9). Where an innocent spouse is betrayed by adultery, or where an unbeliever maliciously deserts the marriage as Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 7:15, divorce is legally recognized because the offending spouse broke the union. While reconciliation is always to be sought first through the Gospel, the innocent party is not held in bondage and is permitted to remarry in the Lord.

Scripture: Matthew 19:4-6, Matthew 19:9, 1 Corinthians 7:15

Reformed & Presbyterian

Our standards confess that nothing but adultery or such willful desertion as cannot be remedied can dissolve the bond of marriage (Matthew 19:9; 1 Corinthians 7:15). God established marriage between one man and one woman as a creation ordinance (Matthew 19:4-6; Westminster Confession 24.1). When Jesus answered the Pharisees, He rejected divorce for every frivolous cause, but He explicitly provided an exception for sexual immorality in Matthew 5:32 and Matthew 19:9. In such tragic cases, the guilty party has severed the covenant, and the innocent party is free to divorce and remarry as if the offending spouse were dead, walking in repentance and holy integrity before God.

Scripture: Matthew 5:32, Matthew 19:4-6, Matthew 19:9, 1 Corinthians 7:15

Anglican & Episcopal

We uphold Christ's teaching that marriage is a lifelong, covenant union grounded in God's creation order (Matthew 19:4-6; Mark 10:6-9). Jesus recalled us from the concessions of Moses back to the beginning, warning against entering marriage lightly. Historic Anglican practice mirrored the ancient canons in prohibiting remarriage after divorce, treating the bond as indissoluble. Today, recognizing Christ's exception clause for sexual immorality (Matthew 19:9) alongside pastoral realities, the Church provides pastoral discernment for those whose marriages have suffered irrevocable breakdown. While holding fast to marriage as a lifelong pledge, pastoral care permits remarriage after divorce with appropriate repentance, healing, and episcopal consent.

Scripture: Matthew 19:4-6, Matthew 19:9, Mark 10:6-9

Baptist

We take Jesus' words in Matthew 19:3-9 as the authoritative rule: marriage is a sacred covenant created by God, joined by Him to last for life. Jesus strictly rejected divorcing for any cause, showing that Moses permitted it only because of the hardness of men's hearts. Scripture provides two biblical grounds that permit divorce: sexual immorality, which Jesus explicitly states in Matthew 5:32 and Matthew 19:9, and abandonment by an unbelieving spouse, as taught in 1 Corinthians 7:15. Where one spouse shatters the covenant through unrepentant immorality or abandonment, the innocent party is released from the bond and is free to remarry in the Lord.

Scripture: Matthew 5:32, Matthew 19:3-9, 1 Corinthians 7:15, Matthew 19:9

Methodist & Wesleyan

We believe marriage is a holy covenant initiated by God in creation, intended for mutual support, sanctification, and lifelong fidelity (Matthew 19:4-6). Jesus called humanity back from hard-hearted self-justification to God's holy standard (Matthew 19:8). While Jesus declared that divorce followed by remarriage generally involves adultery, He recognized the painful reality of sexual immorality in Matthew 19:9. When a marriage union is destroyed by unfaithfulness, cruelty, or desertion, the law of love and redemption permits the dissolution of the civil bond. God's prevenient and restoring grace offers forgiveness, reconciliation, and the opportunity for new life and holy remarriage to penitent believers.

Scripture: Matthew 19:4-6, Matthew 19:8, Matthew 19:9

Pentecostal & Charismatic

We affirm that marriage is a holy covenant designed by God to remain unbroken for life, sealed by the Holy Spirit (Matthew 19:6). Jesus directly refuted the culture's loose approach to divorce, warning that marrying another after an unbiblical divorce is adultery (Matthew 19:9). We uphold the clear biblical exception Jesus gave for sexual immorality, along with Paul's instruction regarding abandonment in 1 Corinthians 7:15. The church fervently prays for supernatural healing and reconciliation in broken marriages. However, where sin has irreparably destroyed the covenant through marital unfaithfulness, grace and redemption allow the wounded, repentant believer to be restored and remarry in Christ.

Scripture: Matthew 19:6, Matthew 19:9, 1 Corinthians 7:15

Non-denominational & Evangelical

We look straight to Scripture as our sole authority: God created marriage to be an unconditional, lifelong covenant between one man and one woman (Matthew 19:4-6). Jesus clearly rebuked divorce for casual reasons, pointing out that Moses' certificate was an accommodation to sinful hearts (Matthew 19:8). Jesus gave a single explicit exception: sexual immorality (Matthew 19:9; Matthew 5:32). Alongside abandonment by an unbeliever (1 Corinthians 7:15), these are the only scriptural grounds where divorce is permitted without incurring the guilt of adultery upon remarriage. While God hates divorce (Malachi 2:16), His grace cleanses, heals, and offers redemption through the cross for broken lives.

Scripture: Malachi 2:16, Matthew 5:32, Matthew 19:4-6, Matthew 19:8, Matthew 19:9

Where they differ

Dissolubility of the marital bond

Catholic

A valid consummated sacramental marriage is indissoluble until death.

Orthodox

Adultery spiritually breaks the bond, allowing pastoral dissolution.

Lutheran

Adultery or desertion dissolves the covenant bond.

Reformed & Presbyterian

Adultery and willful desertion legally dissolve the marriage bond.

Anglican & Episcopal

Historically indissoluble; pastoral economy permits dissolution upon marital death.

Baptist

Adultery or abandonment dissolves the covenant bond before God.

Methodist & Wesleyan

Persistent sin and betrayal can fatally sever the covenant.

Pentecostal & Charismatic

Sexual unfaithfulness or abandonment severs the marital bond.

Non-denominational & Evangelical

Adultery or unbeliever's abandonment breaks the marriage covenant.

Scripture: Matthew 19:6, Matthew 19:9, 1 Corinthians 7:15

Meaning of Christ's exception clause

Catholic

Refers to unlawful unions, not dissolution of valid marriage.

Orthodox

Recognizes marital infidelity as tragic destruction of the union.

Lutheran

Explicitly permits divorce and remarriage for the innocent spouse.

Reformed & Presbyterian

Authorizes the innocent party to divorce on grounds of adultery.

Anglican & Episcopal

Understood as an allowance for divorce in cases of infidelity.

Baptist

Grants the innocent spouse biblical freedom to divorce and remarry.

Methodist & Wesleyan

Acknowledges marital unfaithfulness as legitimate grounds for dissolution.

Pentecostal & Charismatic

Provides biblical release from the covenant due to sexual sin.

Non-denominational & Evangelical

Releases the faithful spouse to divorce and remarry without adultery.

Scripture: Matthew 5:32, Matthew 19:9

Your pastor can tell you where your church stands.

Scripture cited

• Matthew 19:3-9
• Matthew 5:31-32
• Mark 10:2-12
• Luke 16:18